The invention relates to apparatus for lasermachining a workpiece having a cylindrical surface, wherein a carrier shaft is rotatably mounted within a stand and has mounting means for the coaxial mounting of the workpiece body to the carrier shaft, and wherein the apparatus includes a linear guide for the laser, said guide being parallel to the axis of the carrier shaft, and a rotary drive for the carrier shaft, with synchronizing control for positioning drive of the laser along its guide, in coordination with controlled rotation of the carrier shaft.
Apparatus of this general character is known from European Patent No. 72,609, wherein the laser serves to produce intaglio depressions in the surface of an engraving cylinder. For this purpose, the cylinder rotates at constant speed, and the laser is displaced synchronously therewith, parallel to the axis of the cylinder.
The output of the laser is controlled to develop a predetermined intaglio pattern in the course of continuous linear displacement of the laser and rotation of the cylinder.
Similar apparatus is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,872 wherein a laser beam acts tangentially on a cylindrical workpiece to machine the surface of the workpiece. In this apparatus, the laser is fixed in position, and the support for the workpiece is movable along Cartesian coordinates.